Compaq 226593-B21 - Smart Array 5i RAID Controller, DL360 - ProLiant - Photon, Smart Array 5i Plus User Manual

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler

User Guide

Part Number 266328-001

March 2002 (First Edition)

Compaq, the Compaq logo, Compaq Insight Manager, ProLiant, ROMPaq, SmartStart, and SoftPaq are trademarks of Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.P. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows, and Windows NT are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

All other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.

Compaq shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. The information in this document is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind and is subject to change without notice. The warranties for Compaq products are set forth in the express limited warranty statements accompanying such products. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler

March 2002 (First Edition) Part Number 266328-001

About This Guide

Important Safety Information ...........................................................................................vii

Symbols on Equipment..................................................................................................... vii

Symbols in Text............................................................................................................... viii

Text Conventions............................................................................................................... ix

Related Documents............................................................................................................ ix

Getting Help........................................................................................................................ x

Compaq Technical Support.......................................................................................... x

Compaq Website .......................................................................................................... x

Compaq Authorized Reseller ....................................................................................... x

Reader’s Comments........................................................................................................... xi

Chapter 1

Features

Overview of Controller Features .....................................................................................1-1

Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler........................................................................ 1-2

Memory..................................................................................................................... 1-4

Controller Interface ...................................................................................................1-5

SCSI Support............................................................................................................. 1-5

Drive Array Technology ...........................................................................................1-5

Fault Management Features.............................................................................................1-6

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler iii

Contents

Chapter 2

Installation Overview

Chapter 3

Installing the Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler

Chapter 4

Updating the System Firmware

Running System ROMPaq from the CD......................................................................... 4-2

Running System ROMPaq from Diskette....................................................................... 4-2

Creating a System ROMPaq Diskette from the CD ................................................. 4-2

Creating a System ROMPaq Diskette from the SoftPaq File................................... 4-2

Using the Diskette .................................................................................................... 4-3

Chapter 5

Updating the Controller Firmware

Running Options ROMPaq from the Smart Array Controller Support Software CD..... 5-2

Running Options ROMPaq from Diskettes..................................................................... 5-3

Creating Diskettes Using the Smart Array Controller Support Software CD .......... 5-3

Creating Diskettes Using the SmartStart and Support Software CD........................ 5-3

Creating Diskettes Using the SoftPaq File ............................................................... 5-4

Using the Diskettes................................................................................................... 5-4

Updating the System Partition ........................................................................................ 5-5

Chapter 6

Configuring the System

Using RBSU.................................................................................................................... 6-1

Using ORCA ................................................................................................................... 6-3

Chapter 7

Configuring an Array

Using ORCA ................................................................................................................... 7-3

Using ACU...................................................................................................................... 7-5

Running ACU from CD............................................................................................ 7-6

Running ACU while Online ..................................................................................... 7-6

ACU Screen Descriptions......................................................................................... 7-7

iv Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler

Typical Manual Configuration Procedures in ACU................................................ 7-18

Using CPQONLIN......................................................................................................... 7-28

Running CPQONLIN..............................................................................................7-29

Typical Manual Configuration Procedures in CPQONLIN.................................... 7-32

Chapter 8

Installing the Device Drivers

Using the Smart Array Controller Support Software CD ................................................ 8-1

Using the SmartStart and Support Software CD..............................................................8-1

Updating the Compaq Insight Manager Agents ..............................................................8-2

Appendix A

Regulatory Compliance Notices

Regulatory Compliance Identification Numbers ............................................................ A-1

Federal Communications Commission Notice ............................................................... A-1

Class A Equipment................................................................................................... A-2

Class B Equipment................................................................................................... A-2

Declaration of Conformity for Products Marked with the FCC Logo,

United States Only ................................................................................................... A-3

Modifications ........................................................................................................... A-3

Cables....................................................................................................................... A-4

Canadian Notice (Avis Canadien) .................................................................................. A-4

Class A Equipment................................................................................................... A-4

Class B Equipment................................................................................................... A-4

Mouse Compliance Statement........................................................................................ A-4

European Union Notice .................................................................................................. A-5

Japanese Notice ..............................................................................................................A-6

Taiwanese Notice............................................................................................................ A-6

Laser Device ................................................................................................................... A-7

Laser Safety Warnings .............................................................................................A-7

Compliance with CDRH Regulations ...................................................................... A-7

Compliance with International Regulations............................................................. A-7

Laser Product Label .................................................................................................A-8

Laser Information..................................................................................................... A-8

Battery Replacement Notice........................................................................................... A-9

Contents

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler v

Contents

Appendix B

Electrostatic Discharge

Grounding Methods ........................................................................................................B-2

Appendix C

Drive Arrays and Fault Tolerance

What Is a Drive Array? ...................................................................................................C-1

Fault-Tolerance Methods ................................................................................................C-5

RAID 0—No Fault Tolerance ..................................................................................C-5

RAID 1+0—Drive Mirroring ...................................................................................C-6

RAID 5—Distributed Data Guarding.......................................................................C-8

Other Fault-Tolerance Options ...............................................................................C-11

Appendix D

Hard Drive Installation and Replacement

General Information About Hard Drive Failure..............................................................D-1

Recognizing Drive Failure........................................................................................D-2

Compromised Fault Tolerance .................................................................................D-5

Automatic Data Recovery.........................................................................................D-6

General Aspects of Drive Replacement ..........................................................................D-7

Drive Failure During Rebuild...................................................................................D-8

Moving Drives and Arrays..............................................................................................D-9

Upgrading Disk Drive Capacity .............................................................................D-11

Expanding and Extending Capacity........................................................................D-11

Appendix E

Probability of Logical Drive Failure

Appendix F

POST Error Messages

Appendix G

Questions and Answers

Glossary

Index

vi Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for installation, and reference

information for operation and troubleshooting for the Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus

Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler.

Important Safety Information

Before installing this product, read the Important Safety Information document

provided.

Symbols on Equipment

The following symbols may be placed on equipment to indicate the presence of

potentially hazardous conditions.

WARNING: This symbol, in conjunction with any of the following symbols, indicates the presence of a potential hazard. The potential for injury exists if warnings are not observed. Consult your documentation for specific details.

About This Guide

This symbol indicates the presence of hazardous energy circuits or electric shock hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified personnel.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of injury from electric shock hazards, do not open this enclosure. Refer all maintenance, upgrades, and servicing to qualified personnel.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler vii

About This Guide

This symbol indicates the presence of electric shock hazards. The area contains no user or field serviceable parts. Do not open for any reason.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of injury from electric shock hazards, do not open this enclosure

This symbol on an RJ-45 receptacle indicates a network interface connection.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of electric shock, fire, or damage to the equipment, do not plug telephone or telecommunications connectors into this receptacle.

This symbol indicates the presence of a hot surface or hot component. If this surface is contacted, the potential for injury exists.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of injury from a hot component, allow the surface to cool before touching.

These symbols, on power supplies or systems, indicate that the equipment is supplied by multiple sources of power.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of injury from electric shock, remove all power cords to completely disconnect power from the system.

This symbol indicates that the component exceeds the recommended weight for one individual to handle safely.

Weight in kg Weight in lb

WARNING: To reduce the risk of personal injury or damage to the equipment, observe local occupational health and safety requirements and guidelines for manual material handling.

Symbols in Text

These symbols may be found in the text of this guide. They have the following meanings.

WARNING: Text set off in this manner indicates that failure to follow directions in the warning could result in bodily harm or loss of life.

viii Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler

CAUTION: Text set off in this manner indicates that failure to follow directions could result in damage to equipment or loss of information.

IMPORTANT: Text set off in this manner presents clarifying information or specific

instructions.

NOTE: Text set off in this manner presents commentary, sidelights, or interesting points of

information.

Text Conventions

This document uses the following conventions:

• Italic type indicates complete titles of manuals or variables. Variables include information that varies in system output, in command lines, and in command parameters in text.

• Bold type is used for emphasis, for onscreen interface components (window titles, menu names and selections, button and icon names, and so on), and for keyboard keys.

About This Guide

Monospace typeface is used for command lines, code examples, screen

•

displays, error messages, and user input.

• Sans serif typeface is used for uniform resource locators (URLs).

Getting Help

If you have a problem and have exhausted the information in this guide, you can get further information and other help in the following locations.

Compaq Technical Support

In North America, call the Compaq Technical Support Phone Center at 1-800-OK-COMPAQ. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For continuous quality improvement, calls may be recorded or monitored. Outside North America, call the nearest Compaq Technical Support Phone Center. Telephone numbers for worldwide Technical Support Centers are listed on the Compaq website,

www.compaq.com.

Be sure to have the following information available before you call Compaq:

• Technical support registration number (if applicable)

• Product serial number

• Product model name and number

• Applicable error messages

• Add-on boards or hardware

• Third-party hardware or software

• Operating system type and revision level

Compaq Website

The Compaq website has information on this product as well as the latest drivers and flash ROM images. You can access the Compaq website at

www.compaq.com.

Compaq Authorized Reseller

For the name of your nearest Compaq authorized reseller:

• In the United States, call 1-800-345-1518.

x Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler

• In Canada, call 1-800-263-5868.

• Elsewhere, see the Compaq website for locations and telephone numbers.

Reader’s Comments

Compaq welcomes your comments on this guide. Please send your comments and suggestions by email to

ServerDocumentation@compaq.com.

About This Guide

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler xi

The Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler is a Wide Ultra3 SCSI hard drive array controller with a 64-MB read/write embedded cache and a Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler, which provides transportable data protection and increases overall controller performance.

Overview of Controller Features

• Has dual Wide Ultra3 SCSI channels supporting up to 14 drives

• Supports the following operating systems:

— Microsoft Windows 2000

— Microsoft Windows NT 4.0

— Novell Netware 5.X and 6.X

— Linux (Refer to the Compaq website for further information about Linux

version support.)

Features

— SCO UnixWare 7.XX

• Supports the Compaq Universal Hot-Plug Tape Drive

• Supports drive and array movement to the Smart Array 532, Smart Array

5302/5304 and Smart Array 5i controllers

• Provides backward compatibility with Wide Ultra2 SCSI devices

• Uses a 32- or 64-bit PCI bus master interface

• Has a user selectable read or optional write cache allocation from 0-64 MB

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller User Guide 1-1

Features

• Has a Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler

• Supports these additional features:

— RAID (0, 1 + 0, 5)

— Online RAID migration between any two levels

— Online array capacity expansion

— Adjustable stripe size

— Performance monitoring with Compaq Insight Managerä

— S.M.A.R.T. paging

— Drive pre-failure notification

— Tagged command queuing

— Multiple logical drives per array

— Compaq Pre-Failure Warranty and Pre-Failure Notification for Compaq

drives (requires Compaq Insight Manager)

— Easy-to-use Compaq Array Configuration Utility (ACU) and browser-based

Compaq Array Configuration Utility XE (ACU-XE)

— Option ROM Configuration for Arrays (ORCA) Utility

— Redundant ROM

Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler

A Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler is included with the Smart Array 5i Plus Controller. Also called the battery module, this component enables write cache, provides transportable data protection, increases overall controller performance, and maintains any cache data for up to 72 hours.

NOTE: The data protection (and the time limit) also applies if a power outage occurs. When power is restored to the system, an initialization process writes the preserved data to the hard drives.

1-2 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller User Guide

Features

The NiMH batteries in the battery module are continuously recharged through a trickle charging process whenever the system power is on. Under normal operating conditions, the battery module lasts for three years before replacement is necessary.

IMPORTANT: The battery module may have a low charge when it is first installed. In this case, a Power-On Self-Test (POST) message 1794 is displayed when the server is powered up (see Appendix F), indicating that the array accelerator is temporarily disabled. No action is required on your part, since the internal circuitry automatically recharges the batteries. The recharge process can take up to four hours. The array controller will function properly during this time, although without the performance advantage of the array accelerator. When the batteries are charged to 79 percent of their capacity, the array accelerator is automatically enabled.

The battery module can be removed from the server without using any tools. For detailed instructions, refer to the documentation that ships with your server and with the option kit.

CAUTION: When using the battery module, observe the following limitations:

• Do not transfer the battery module between different server models.

• Do not add or remove the battery module while array capacity expansion, RAID

level migration, or stripe size migration is in progress.

The battery module has two LEDs, one green and one amber. When the battery module is connected to the controller and the server is powered up, the green LED indicates the status of the battery charge. When the battery is connected to the controller and the server is powered down, the amber LED indicates the status of data retention. See Table 1-1 for an interpretation of the possible LED illumination patterns.

CAUTION: After the server is powered down, wait 15 seconds and then check the illumination pattern of the LEDs before unplugging the cable from the battery module.

• If the amber LED blinks after 15 seconds, do not remove the cable from the

battery module. The module is backing up data, and data will be lost if the cable is detached.

• If neither LED blinks after 15 seconds, it is safe to remove the cable from the

battery module.

When the server is on, review the POST message before plugging or unplugging the cable from the battery module.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller User Guide 1-3

Features

Table 1-1: Battery Module LED Descriptions

Server Status LED Color LED Status Battery Module

Status

Server is on and has normal run time

Server is on and is in the first 30 seconds after power-up

Server is off and is in data retention mode

Green On Fast charging

Green Off Trickle charging

Amber On Short in the

connection of one or more of the four button cells within the battery module

Amber Blinking Open in the

circuit between the positive and negative terminals of the battery module

Amber Off Battery module

status is normal

Amber and green

Amber Blinking every

On Temporary lock-

out state, data was lost due to cable being detached

User data held

15 seconds

in write cache is being backed up

Memory

The Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler has a 64-MB write cache with PC100, CL2 SDRAM memory.

1-4 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller User Guide

Controller Interface

The Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler interfaces to the server through a high-performance 32- or 64-bit PCI bus that:

• Provides a high-speed path (up to 533 MB/s between the system board and the controller)

• Has multiplexed address and data lines

• Includes a parity protection signal

The Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler is a PCI bus master device conforming to the PCI Local Bus Specification. As a bus master device, it takes control of the PCI bus during high-speed transfers, freeing the system processor to handle application processing or other types of tasks.

SCSI Support

The Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler supports Wide Ultra3 and Wide Ultra2 SCSI devices that use Low Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) on the SCSI bus.

Features

The Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler does not support Wide SCSI-3 devices that use the Single-Ended (SE) signaling protocol.

Drive Array Technology

Drive array technology distributes data across a series of hard drives to unite physical drives into one or more logical drives. This technology enables concurrent access to data on multiple drives in the array and yields faster input/output rates than those using non-arrayed drives. You may set each logical drive in the array to a different fault-tolerant configuration. The Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler manages the drive array independent of the host processor.

The Compaq ACU-XE, a browser-based utility, helps you configure the hardware in the way that best suits your needs. Refer to the Compaq SmartStart™ and Support CD for additional information.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller User Guide 1-5

Features

See Appendix C, “Drive Arrays and Fault Tolerance,” for general information about drive arrays.

Fault Management Features

The array controller and the network operating system support several fault management and data reliability features that minimize the impact of hard drive defects on your system.

• Auto Reliability Monitoring (ARM) is a background process that scans hard

drives for bad sectors in fault-tolerant logical drives. ARM also verifies the consistency of parity data in logical drives that are using RAID 5. This process assures that you can recover all data successfully if a drive failure occurs in the future. ARM operates only when you select RAID 1 or RAID 5.

• Dynamic sector repair by the controller automatically remaps any sectors that

have media faults (detected either during normal operation or by auto reliability monitoring).

• Drive parameter tracking monitors more than 15 drive operational parameters

and functional tests, allowing the array controller to detect drive problems and predict drive failure before it occurs. This feature makes possible the Compaq Pre-Failure Warranty on Compaq hard drives.

Parameters that are tracked include read, write, and seek errors; spin-up time;

cable problems; and functional tests such as track-to-track seek time, and onethird stroke, and full-stroke seek time.

• Drive failure alert features cause an alert message to be displayed on the

system monitor when drive failure occurs. Different Compaq server models use different messages for different situations. These messages are described in your server documentation.

• Interim data recovery occurs if a drive fails in fault-tolerant configurations

(RAID 1 or RAID 5). In this situation, the system will still process I/O requests, but at a reduced performance level. Replace the failed drive as soon as possible to restore performance and full fault tolerance for that logical drive. Otherwise, if another hard drive fails before data has been rebuilt, the logical volume will fail and data will be lost. See Appendix D for more information about recovering from drive failure.

1-6 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller User Guide

Features

• Predictive failure alert is a powerful problem-prevention feature that warns you when a drive failure is imminent. This feature allows you to take corrective action with minimal effect on critical business operations. Your system must use Compaq Insight Manager and a Compaq Smart Array controller to benefit from predictive failure alert.

Instructions for using the predictive failure alert feature can be found in the

documentation for Compaq Insight Manager software and Compaq Management Agents. This documentation is located on the Compaq Management CD.

NOTE: An online spare will not become active and start rebuilding after a predictive failure alert, because the degraded drive has not actually failed yet and is still online. The online spare is activated only after a drive in the array has failed.

• POST or the Array Diagnostics Utility (ADU) also reveals imminent drive failure.

• Recovery ROM is a controller redundancy feature that ensures continuous system availability by providing a backup ROM. This feature protects against corruption of a ROM image (caused, for example, by power fluctuation during ROM upgrade). If corruption occurs, the server automatically restarts using the remaining good copy of the ROM image.

When you upgrade the ROM, the inactive image (the one not being used by the

system) is upgraded. There is not normally any noticeable difference in operation. When you use Recovery ROM for the first time, however, the backup ROM images are upgraded, causing a boot delay of about 20 seconds.

Other Compaq options, such as Compaq Insight Manager, provide additional drive failure features. See your Compaq authorized reseller for more information about these products.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller User Guide 1-7

Installation Overview

The details of the steps required to install the controller depend on whether the server has an operating system installed and contains data. The flowcharts in Figure 2-1 and Figure 2-2 summarize the installation procedures for the most common scenarios.

Install the controller

hardware (Chapter 3), if it is not pre-installed.

Set the boot controller

(Chapter 6).

Create at least one

logical drive and format it (Chapter 7).

Install the operating

system and device drivers (Chapter 8).

Figure 2-1: Controller installation in a new system

. . . . . . .

Update the system

firmware (Chapter 4).

Update the controller

firmware (Chapter 5).

Configure the system

(Chapter 6).

Create additional logical

drives if desired and format them (Chapter 7).

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 2-1

Installation Overview

Back up data

(required if migrating from a non-array controller).

If using the System

Configuration Utility, update the system partition (Chapter 5).

Install the device

driver for your operating system (Chapter 8).

Update Compaq

Insight Manager Agents if new versions are available (Chapter 8).

Update the system

. . . . . . . . .

firmware (Chapter 4).

Install the controller

hardware (Chapter 3).

Update the controller

firmware (Chapter 5).

Create and format

additional logical drives if desired (Chapter 7).

. . . . . . . . .

If migrating from a non-

array controller, restore data from backup.

Figure 2-2: Controller installation in a previously configured system

2-2 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Installing the Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and

Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler

WARNING: To reduce the risk of personal injury or damage to the equipment, be aware of the precautions you need to follow when setting up the system or handling parts. A discharge of static electricity from a finger or other conductor may damage system boards or other static-sensitive devices.

Many servers are also capable of producing energy levels that are considered hazardous. These servers are to be serviced by qualified personnel trained to deal with these hazards. Do not remove enclosures or attempt to bypass any interlocks that may be provided for the purpose of removing these hazardous conditions.

Consult the safety information and user documentation provided with your server before attempting the installation.

To install the Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler:

1. Back up all data. This step is mandatory.

CAUTION: Back up all data stored on existing drives before installing the controller. All data stored on non-array drives is destroyed when the new controller is installed.

2. Close all applications.

3. Power down the server.

CAUTION: In systems using external data storage, be sure that the server is the first unit powered down and the last to be powered back up. Doing this ensures that the system will not erroneously mark the drives as failed.

Compaq Smart Start 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 3-1

Installing the Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler

4. Power down any peripheral devices attached to the server.

5. Unplug the AC power cord from the outlet, then from the server.

6. Disconnect any peripheral devices from the server.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of personal injury from hot surfaces, allow the internal system components and hot-plug hard drives to cool before touching them.

7. Remove or open the access panel.

8. Install the Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache

Enabler option. Refer to the documentation that ships with your server and with the option kit.

9. Restore all data from the backup you performed in step 1.

CAUTION: Any information that was not backed up before installation is permanently deleted when the system is powered up.

10. Use the Smart Array 5i Plus Controller utilities for configuration:

a. Run the ORCA utility to configure the first array and logical drive.

b. Install your operating system.

c. Run ACU-XE tools to configure and manage server storage with the

Smart Array 5i Plus Controller.

Installation is complete.

3-2 Compaq Smart Start 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Updating the System Firmware

Before installing an array controller in a Compaq server, update the system firmware by running the System ROMPaq

NOTE: This utility is not to be confused with the Options ROMPaq utility (see Chapter 5), which is used to update the firmware on server options and SCSI drives.

The System ROMPaq utility has two main sources:

• The SmartStart and Support Software CD that is either shipped with your server or available directly from Compaq

• The downloadable SoftPaq

If your server has a bootable CD-ROM drive, you can run System ROMPaq directly from the CD. Otherwise, you must run System ROMPaq from a diskette created from either the CD or from the SoftPaq file.

IMPORTANT: Compare the version numbers of the System ROMPaq utility from these two sources. If the CD version is older, use the SoftPaq file instead.

If your system uses the System Configuration Utility (SCU), you may also need to update the system partition to complete the system update.

utility.

file on the Compaq website

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 4-1

Updating the System Firmware

Running System ROMPaq from the CD

1. Boot the server from the SmartStart and Support Software CD.

2. On the Compaq System Utilities screen, select Run ROMPaq.

3. Follow the on-screen prompts and instructions to reprogram your system ROM.

Running System ROMPaq from Diskette

To run System ROMPaq from diskette, you must first create a System ROMPaq diskette from the CD or from the appropriate SoftPaq file.

Creating a System ROMPaq Diskette from the CD

1. Insert the SmartStart and Support Software CD into the CD-ROM drive tray of a server with a bootable CD-ROM drive.

2. Restart the server.

3. On the Compaq System Utilities screen, select Create Support Software.

4. On the Diskette Builder menu screen, scroll through the list and select System

ROMPaq Firmware Upgrade Diskette, and then click Next.

5. Click Create Diskettes Only, and then click Next.

6. Follow the remaining instructions on the screen to create the System ROMPaq

diskette.

7. To update the firmware, follow the procedure given in the section “Using the Diskette.”

Creating a System ROMPaq Diskette from the SoftPaq File

1. Create a temporary directory on your hard drive.

2. Go to the Compaq website,

3. Locate the page containing the SoftPaq file for the System ROMPaq utility.

4. Click the link for the System ROMPaq SoftPaq file.

4-2 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

www.compaq.com.

5. Click Download, and then direct the download to the temporary directory that

you created.

6. Click Save.

7. Execute the downloaded SoftPaq file and follow the on-screen instructions to

create the System ROMPaq diskette.

8. To update the firmware, follow the procedure given in the section “Using the

Diskette.”

Using the Diskette

1. With the server powered down, place the System ROMPaq diskette in the

diskette drive.

2. Power up the server.

3. When the Welcome screen is displayed, press the Enter key.

4. When the Select A Device screen is displayed, select your server from the list of

programmable devices, and then press the Enter key.

The Select An Image screen is displayed, showing the following information:

Updating the System Firmware

Device to reprogram: your server Current ROM revision: date of existing ROM version Select Firmware Images: date of latest ROM version

5. Press the Enter key. The Caution screen is displayed.

6. Press the Enter key. The following message is displayed:

Reprogramming Firmware

Do not interrupt the reprogramming process. You will be notified when

reprogramming is complete.

7. When reprogramming has finished, press the Esc key to exit the utility.

8. Remove the System ROMPaq diskette and restart the server.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 4-3

Updating the Controller Firmware

You can update the firmware on Compaq options by using the Options ROMPaq utility. There are two versions of this utility: Options ROMPaq for Array Controllers and Options ROMPaq for Internal (SCSI Attached) Drives.

If you purchased your server with an array controller already installed, you do not need to run this utility during server installation. However, if you have older Smart Array Controllers or other Compaq options (such as drives), run Options ROMPaq to make sure that these devices have the latest firmware. Compaq recommends that you run the latest Options ROMPaq on all Compaq array controllers whenever new versions of the utility are released.

The Options ROMPaq utility has two main sources:

• Smart Array Controller Support Software CD

• The downloadable SoftPaq file on the Compaq website

If your server has a bootable CD-ROM drive, you can run Options ROMPaq directly from the Smart Array Controller Support Software CD. Otherwise, you must run Options ROMPaq from a diskette created from the CD or from the SoftPaq file.

IMPORTANT: Compare the version numbers of the Options ROMPaq utility from these two sources. If the CD versions are older, use the SoftPaq file instead.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 5-1

Updating the Controller Firmware

Running Options ROMPaq from the Smart Array Controller Support Software CD

1. Place the Smart Array Controller Support Software CD in the server CD-ROM drive.

2. Restart the server.

3. When the Compaq System Utilities screen is displayed, select Run Options

ROMPaq and then press the Enter key.

4. When the Welcome screen is displayed, press the Enter key.

5. On the Select A Device screen, select All Compaq Smart Array nnnn

Controller(s)

key.

6. The action that you must now take depends on the message on the screen:

— If the screen message reads as follows, press the Enter key, and then go to

step 8 of these instructions:

The ROM image files found for the device selected are not newer than the current ROM image

from the list of programmable devices, and then press the Enter

— If the ROM firmware currently on the controller is older than that on the

Options ROMPaq diskette, then the screen message reads as follows:

Device to reprogram: All Compaq Smart Array nnnn Controller(s) Controller(s) Current ROM revision: Compaq Smart Array nnnn Controller x.xx Select Firmware Images: Compaq Smart Array nnnn Controller y.yy

In this case, press the Enter key and then go to step 7.

7. Review the information on the Caution screen, and then press the Enter key to reprogram the controller ROM.

The following message is displayed:

Reprogramming Firmware

Do not interrupt the reprogramming process. You will be notified when

reprogramming is complete.

5-2 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Updating the Controller Firmware

8. When reprogramming of the controller ROM is finished, you can reprogram

more options or exit the utility.

— To reprogram another Compaq option, press the Enter key, and then repeat

steps 5 through 7.

— If you have finished reprogramming Compaq options, press the Esc key to

exit the utility.

9. Remove the CD and restart the server.

Running Options ROMPaq from Diskettes

To run Options ROMPaq from diskette, first create Options ROMPaq diskettes from one of the CDs or from the appropriate SoftPaq file.

Creating Diskettes Using the Smart Array Controller Support Software CD

1. Insert the Smart Array Controller Support Software CD into the server CD-ROM

drive tray.

2. Open the OPTRMDSK folder on the CD and execute the QRST5.EXE file.

3. Follow the on-screen prompts to create the set of Options ROMPaq diskettes.

4. To complete the firmware update, follow the procedure given in the section

“Using the Diskettes.”

Creating Diskettes Using the SmartStart and Support Software CD

1. Insert the SmartStart and Support Software CD into the CD-ROM drive tray of a

server with a bootable CD-ROM drive.

2. Restart the server.

3. On the Compaq System Utilities screen, select Create Support Software.

4. On the Diskette Builder menu screen, scroll through the list and select Options

ROMPaq, and then click Next.

5. Click Create Diskettes Only and then click Next.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 5-3

Updating the Controller Firmware

6. Follow the remaining on-screen instructions to create the Options ROMPaq diskettes.

7. To complete the firmware update, follow the procedure given in the section “Using the Diskettes.”

Creating Diskettes Using the SoftPaq File

1. Create a temporary directory on your hard drive.

2. On the Compaq website, locate the page containing the SoftPaq file for the

Options ROMPaq utility.

3. Click the link for the Options ROMPaq SoftPaq file.

4. Click Download, and direct the download to the temporary directory that you

created.

5. Click Save.

6. Execute the downloaded SoftPaq file and follow the on-screen instructions to

create the diskette. Up to six diskettes are needed for the Options ROMPaq SoftPaq file.

7. To complete the firmware update, follow the procedure given in the section “Using the Diskettes.”

Using the Diskettes

1. Be sure that the server is off.

2. Insert the first Options ROMPaq diskette into the diskette drive.

3. Restart the server.

4. When the Welcome screen is displayed, press the Enter key. The Select a

Device screen is displayed.

If the controller that you want to update the firmware for is on the list of

programmable devices, select it and press the Enter key. (If it is not present, you are prompted to insert the remaining diskettes for devices not listed on the first diskette.)

5. The action that you must now take depends on the message on the screen:

5-4 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Updating the Controller Firmware

— If the screen message reads as follows, press the Enter key, and then go to

step 8 of these instructions:

The ROM image files found for the device selected are not newer than the current ROM image

— If the ROM firmware currently on the controller is older than that on the

Options ROMPaq diskette, then the screen message reads as follows:

In this case, press the Enter key and then go to step 7.

6. Review the information on the Caution screen, and then press the Enter key to

reprogram the controller ROM.

The following message is displayed:

Reprogramming Firmware

Do not interrupt the reprogramming process. You will be notified when

reprogramming is complete.

7. When the reprogramming of the controller ROM is finished, you can reprogram

more options or exit the utility.

— To reprogram another Compaq option, press the Enter key, and then repeat

steps 5 through 7.

— If you have finished reprogramming Compaq options, press the Esc key to

exit the utility.

8. Remove the Options ROMPaq diskette and restart the server.

Updating the System Partition

If you are installing the controller on a server that was previously configured with SCU, you must now use this utility to update the system partition.

NOTE: If your server uses the ROM-Based Setup Utility (RBSU), you do not need to run SCU.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 5-5

Updating the Controller Firmware

SCU is provided on both the SmartStart and Support Software CD and the Smart Array Controller Support Software CD. Compare the SCU version numbers from these two sources and use the most recent version.

NOTE: Before updating NetWare volumes or partitions, remember these tips to optimize system performance:

• If you want to use hardware-based RAID, do not select mirroring while using

INSTALL.NLM or NWCONFIG.NLM.

• Novell recommends that you create volumes with a 64-kbyte block size to decrease the

amount of RAM required to mount the volume, and use the Block Sub-Allocation feature to allow disk space to be allocated more efficiently.

• Linear memory provides the best system performance in the NetWare environment. If you

previously used SCU to configure your server, this option would have been the default. To check that the system is using linear memory, run SCU and view the Compaq memory settings. Be sure that a linear option is selected under the Base Memory option.

1. Restart the server from the CD.

2. If the CD-ROM drive is bootable, go to step 5. Otherwise, locate the CD-ROM

drive:\SYSCFDSK\US directory, run the file QRST5.EXE, and follow the onscreen instructions to create four SCU diskettes.

3. Insert SCU diskette #1 into the server diskette drive.

4. Restart the system.

5. Select System Configuration Utility from the menu or list of icons that is

displayed.

6. Follow the on-screen instructions to update or create and populate a system partition.

7. Exit from the SCU.

If the server does not reboot or a CD error message is displayed, press the Ctrl+Alt+Del keys to continue and reboot the server.

5-6 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

When installing a controller in a new system, perform these tasks after installing the controller and updating the controller firmware:

• Configure the system by using either the ROM-Based Setup Utility (RBSU) or

the System Configuration Utility (SCU), following the procedure given in the server user guide.

• Set the boot controller by using RBSU, or the Option ROM Configuration for

Arrays (ORCA) utility (described in this chapter).

• Create at least one logical drive by using ORCA or ACU (as described in

Chapter 7).

Using RBSU

RBSU is a system configuration utility that is embedded in the system ROM, and is customized for the server on which it is installed. RBSU is updated by using System ROMPaq.

Configuring the System

IMPORTANT: Not all servers support RBSU.

To use RBSU:

1. Power up the server.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 6-1

Configuring the System

2. Press the F9 key when prompted during system startup.

The ROM-Based Setup Utility menu screen is displayed.

Figure 6-1: RBSU menu screen

3. Configure your system. (For detailed instructions, refer to the Compaq ROM- Based Setup Utility User Guide.)

4. Set the boot controller by selecting Boot Controller Order on the RBSU menu screen and following the on-screen prompts.

5. When you have finished using the utility, press the Esc key, and then press the F10 key to confirm that you want to exit RBSU.

6-2 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Using ORCA

Part of the startup sequence of a server is the Power-On Self-Test (POST). If the array controller in the server supports ORCA, POST temporarily halts and an ORCA prompt message is displayed for about five seconds. (If ORCA is not supported, the prompt message is not displayed and the system continues with the startup sequence.)

1. Power up the server and let the system startup sequence begin.

2. While the prompt message is on the screen, press the F8 key to start ORCA.

3. On the Option ROM Configuration for Arrays Main Menu screen, select

Select Boot Controller and follow the prompts to set the boot controller for the system.

If you want to use ORCA to create logical drives at this point, you do not need to exit the utility yet. Continue using ORCA as described in Chapter 7.

Configuring the System

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 6-3

Configuring an Array

Compaq provides four utilities for configuring an array:

• Option ROM Configuration for Arrays (ORCA)—a simple ROM-based

configuration utility that runs on all operating systems

• Array Configuration Utility (ACU)—a versatile configuration utility that

provides maximum control over configuration parameters

• Array Configuration Utility-XE (ACU-XE)—a browser-based version of ACU

that can be used remotely on systems that are also running Compaq Insight Manager XE

• NetWare Online Array Configuration (CPQONLIN) Utility—a menu-driven

utility for NetWare

The following limitations apply to all configuration methods:

• For the most efficient use of drive space, do not mix drives of different capacity

within the same array. Each configuration utility treats all physical drives in an array as if they have the same capacity as the smallest drive in the array. Excess capacity of larger drives is wasted because it is unavailable to the array.

• Only one online spare drive can be assigned per array.

• The probability that an array will experience a hard drive failure increases with

the number of hard drives in the array (see Appendix D). If you configure an array with RAID 5, keep the probability of failure acceptably low by using no more than 14 drives.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-1

Configuring an Array

For more information about ACU-XE, refer to the Compaq Array Configuration Utility XE User Guide. For background information about drive arrays and

fault-tolerance (RAID) methods, see Appendix C.

Table 7-1: Comparison of Utilities for Configuring an Array

ACU ACU-XE CPQONLIN ORCA

Uses a graphical interface + + 0 0

Available in languages other than English + + 0 0

Executable at any time + + + 0

Available on CD + + + 0

Uses a wizard to suggest the optimum configuration for an unconfigured controller

Describes configuration errors + + 0 0

Supports these operating systems:

Windows 2000 + + 0 +

Windows NT + 0 0 +

NetWare + + + +

Linux + + 0 +

++ + 0

Allows these procedures:

Creation and deletion of arrays, logical drives + + + +

Assignment of RAID level + + + +

Assignment of a spare drive + + + +

Sharing of a spare drive among several arrays + + + 0

Setting of stripe size + + + 0

Migration of RAID level or stripe size + + + 0

Configuration of controller settings + + + 0

Expansion of an array + + + 0

Creation of multiple logical drives per array + + 0 0

Setting of boot controller 0 0 0 +

7-2 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Using ORCA

When a computer system is powered up, part of the startup sequence is the Power-On Self-Test (POST). Any array controllers that are in the system are initialized while POST is running. If the array controller supports ORCA, POST temporarily halts and an ORCA prompt message is displayed for about five seconds. (If ORCA is not supported, the prompt message is not displayed and the system continues with the startup sequence.)

While the prompt is displayed, press the F8 key to start ORCA. The Option ROM Configuration for Arrays Main Menu screen is displayed, allowing you to select the boot controller for the system, or to create, view, or delete a logical drive.

Configuring an Array

Figure 7-1: ORCA main menu screen

To create a logical drive:

1. Choose Create Logical Drive.

The screen displays a list of all available (unconfigured) physical drives and the

valid RAID options for your system.

NOTE: You can create only one logical drive at a time.

2. Use the arrow keys, space bar, and tab key to navigate around the screen and set

up your logical drive, including a spare drive if required.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-3

Configuring an Array

NOTE: ORCA allows only one array to use a given online spare.

3. Press the Enter key to accept the settings.

4. At the next screen, press the F8 key to confirm your settings and save the new

configuration.

5. After several seconds, the Configuration Saved screen is displayed. Press the Enter key to continue.

You can now create another logical drive on any remaining physical drives by repeating the previous steps. ORCA allows only one logical drive to be created per array; to create an array containing several logical drives, use ACU or ACU-XE.

NOTE: Raw logical drives are invisible to the operating system. To make the new logical drives available for data storage, format the logical drive using the instructions given in your operating system documentation.

Using ACU

ACU is located on the Smart Array Controller Support Software CD and on the SmartStart and Support Software CD. You can run ACU directly from one of these CDs, or—if the server you are configuring is running the Microsoft Windows NT or Windows 2000 operating system—you can download ACU onto your server and run it online.

When you start ACU, it checks the configuration of every controller and drive array. If an array is not configured optimally, the ACU configuration wizard opens and guides you through the configuration process. The wizard also helps you to configure any new controllers, assign unused physical drives to existing arrays (without destroying data), and configure any unused space present on an array into another logical drive. ACU allows you to create up to 32 logical drives per array.

If a problem arises during the configuration process, ACU displays an error message describing the problem. If the following warning message is displayed along with an error code number, call your local Compaq technical support number for assistance:

Internal Error Has Occurred

7-4 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

See the “About This Guide” section for technical support phone numbers.

You can view context-sensitive online help for each screen by pressing the F1 key or clicking Help. The status bar at the bottom of the screen also displays messages describing the current selection.

Running ACU from CD

This method of running ACU is valid for Windows NT, Windows 2000, Linux, and Novell NetWare operating systems.

1. Insert the CD into the CD-ROM drive and restart the server.

2. When the CD menu is displayed, double-click the ACU icon.

3. Configure your array (see the “Typical Manual Configuration Procedures”

section for details if you do not want to use the wizard).

4. Remove the CD and restart the server to activate the new settings.

Configuring an Array

Running ACU while Online

You can run ACU online with the Windows NT or Windows 2000 operating system.

1. Insert the CD into the CD-ROM drive of the server and follow the on-screen

instructions to download the utility.

2. When installation is complete, click Start, and then select Compaq System

Tools.

3. Double-click ACU.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-5

Configuring an Array

ACU Screen Descriptions

NOTE: The screenshots shown with these descriptions are merely examples. The exact

appearance of your screen depends on the controller and hard drives that you use. For example, the number of ports on the controller and the RAID levels available may be different in your case.

Main Configuration Screen

This ACU Main Configuration screen is the first to be displayed after the configuration wizard has finished or been bypassed.

Figure 7-2: Example of ACU Main Configuration screen

This screen contains the following regions:

• Menu bar

• Controller Selection box

• Logical Configuration View window

• Drive View box

• Controller box

• Array box

• Logical Drive box

7-6 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Configuring an Array

Menu Bar

The menu bar at the top of the ACU Main Configuration screen contains the following drop-down menus:

• Controller—Allows you to select a controller, refresh the screen, save or clear a

configuration, create an array, or exit the program. Other menu items give access to settings, advanced features, information, and the configuration wizard.

• Array—Allows you to delete or modify an array, or to expand array capacity,

create logical drives, and view array information.

• Drive—Allows you to delete or change logical drives and to view drive

information.

• View—Allows you to switch between Physical Configuration View and

Logical Configuration View.

• Help—Allows you to access online help.

Controller Selection Box

This box provides a drop-down list of the controllers installed in the system. When you select a controller, details of the drives and arrays that are connected to the controller are shown in the Configuration View window.

Figure 7-3: Controller Selection box

Physical/Logical Configuration View Window

The Physical/Logical Configuration View window shows the drives and arrays that are connected to the selected controller. The Drive View radio buttons below the Configuration View window let you switch between the physical and logical configuration views.

Figure 7-4 shows a typical physical configuration view, and Figure 7-2 shows a typical logical configuration view.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-7

Configuring an Array

Figure 7-4: Physical Configuration View window

NOTE: Selecting any item in the Configuration View window will cause the corresponding

hard drive tray LEDs to blink. This feature is useful for identifying all physical drives in an array or logical drive, all drives on a controller, or a specific physical drive.

Drive View Box

Use the radio buttons in this box to display a logical or physical configuration view in the Configuration View window.

Figure 7-5: Drive View box

Controller Box

The buttons in the Controller box are activated when you select a controller in the Controller Selection box.

7-8 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Configuring an Array

Figure 7-6: Controller box

Click one of these buttons to display the Controller Settings screen or the Create Drive Array screen.

Array Box

The buttons in the Array box are activated when you select an array in the Configuration View window.

Figure 7-7: Array box

Click one of these buttons to display the Modify Drive Array screen, the Expand Array screen, or the Create Logical Drive screen.

Logical Drive Box

The buttons in the Logical Drive box are activated when you select a logical drive in the Configuration View window.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-9

Configuring an Array

Figure 7-8: Logical Drive box

Click one of these buttons to display the Modify Logical Drive screen, the Migrate Logical Drive screen, or the Extend Logical Drive screen.

More Information Button

Click More Information in the bottom right of the ACU Main Configuration screen to get a detailed description of the item that is selected in the Configuration View window.

Secondary Screens

Controller Settings Screen

To display this screen, click Settings in the Controller box (Figure 7-6) on the ACU Main Configuration screen.

This screen allows you to set the rebuild priority, expand priority, and accelerator read/write ratio.

Figure 7-9: Controller Settings screen

7-10 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Configuring an Array

The settings that you use for Rebuild Priority and Expand Priority will not affect the performance of an idle system. However, they will affect performance on a busy system:

• On the High settings, the controller will give preference to the rebuild or

expansion process over normal I/O operations.

• On the Low settings, the controller will rebuild or expand only when the

controller is idle. However, this setting leaves the array vulnerable to drive failure for a longer time than the High setting.

The Accelerator Ratio setting determines the amount of memory allocated to the read and write caches. Some applications may perform better with a larger write cache; others may perform better with a larger read cache. If your controller does not have a battery backed array accelerator, only read cache will be available (the ratio will always be 100% Read / 0% Write).

NOTE: If you optimize the Accelerator Ratio setting, you may also want to change the Stripe Size setting. See the “Create Logical Drive Screen” section and Table 7-2 and Table 7-3 for

details.

Create Drive Array Screen

To display this screen, click Create Array in the Controller box (Figure 7-6) on the ACU Main Configuration screen. The left panel of the Create Drive Array screen shows all drives that are attached to the controller that was selected on the ACU Main Configuration screen.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-11

Configuring an Array

Figure 7-10: Create Drive Array screen

The three buttons in the middle of this screen are:

• Assign Drive To Array

• Remove Drive From Array

• Assign Spare To Array

Modify Drive Array Screen

To display this screen, click Modify in the Array box on the ACU Main Configuration screen. This screen resembles the Create Drive Array screen

(Figure 7-10), and allows you to change the configuration of your array.

Expand Array Screen

To display this screen, click Expand in the Array box on the ACU Main Configuration screen.

The Expand Array screen resembles the Create Drive Array screen (Figure 7-10). It allows you to add more hard drives to an array that has already been configured. The extra capacity can be used to build another logical drive on the array, or to extend a logical drive that already exists on the array.

7-12 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Configuring an Array

Create Logical Drive Screen

To display this screen, click Create Logical Drive in the Array box (Figure 7-7) on the ACU Main Configuration screen.

This screen allows you to select the fault-tolerance method, enable the array accelerator (if present), and set the stripe size and logical drive size on a new logical drive.

CAUTION: Do not use this screen to modify a pre-existing logical drive, since this method does not preserve user data. Instead, to change the RAID level and stripe size on a logical drive that already contains user data, click Migrate to reach the

Migrate RAID/Stripe Size screen (Figure 7-13).

Figure 7-11: Create Logical Drive screen

Three features on this screen merit further description:

• Stripe Size box

• Logical Drive Size box

• Advanced button

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-13

Configuring an Array

The Stripe Size box has a drop-down menu that lets you select the width of a data stripe. (This width corresponds to the size of a data block on each hard drive in the logical volume, as described in Appendix D).

Each RAID level supports several stripe widths (Table 7-2); the default stripe size initially displayed by ACU is chosen for optimum performance under the most common operating conditions. Table 7-3 suggests how to optimize the stripe width for different types of application.

Table 7-2: Supported Stripe Sizes for a Given RAID Level

Fault Tolerance Level Supported Stripe Sizes (KB) Default (KB)

RAID 0 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256 128

RAID 1 or 1+0 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256 128

RAID 5 8, 16, 32, 64 16

Table 7-3: Optimum Stripe Size for a Given Application

Type of Server Application Suggested Stripe Size Change

Mixed read/write Accept the default value

Mainly sequential read (such as audio/video applications)

Mainly write (such as image manipulation applications)

Use larger stripe sizes for best performance

Use smaller stripes for RAID 5

Use larger stripes for RAID 0, RAID 1+0, RAID 1

The Logical Drive Size box shows how much drive capacity is available on the selected logical drive when using the chosen RAID level. The left side of the slider scale shows how much drive capacity is available for data storage, while the right side indicates how much capacity is required for storing parity or mirrored information. (RAID overhead is not needed for RAID 0.)

The default logical drive size first shown in this box is the maximum available for your drive array. To create more than one logical drive on the array, reduce the logical drive size by typing a smaller number in the scroll box. ACU allows you to create up to 32 logical drives per array.

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Configuring an Array

Click Advanced to display the Advanced Features screen, where you can enable or disable the maximum boot size for a logical drive. The default boot size is 32 sectors (16 kbytes) per track, and the maximum boot size is 63 sectors per track.

Figure 7-12: Advanced Features screen

Some operating systems need to use the maximum boot size to be able to create large boot partitions. For example, enabling the maximum boot size on a logical drive in the Windows NT 4.0 operating system allows you to create a bootable partition with a maximum size of 8 GB.

NOTE: Enabling the maximum boot size may decrease performance of the logical drive.

Modify Logical Drive Screen

To display this screen, click Modify in the Logical Drive box (Figure 7-8) on the ACU Main Configuration screen. This screen resembles the Create Logical Drive

screen (Figure 7-11), and lets you change the parameters of an existing logical drive while online, without causing data loss.

Migrate RAID/Stripe Size Screen

To display this screen, click Migrate in the Logical Drive box (Figure 7-8) on the ACU Main Configuration screen. It allows you to change the stripe width (block

size) or RAID level of an existing logical drive while online, without causing data loss.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-15

Configuring an Array

Figure 7-13: Migrate RAID/Stripe Size screen

Extend Logical Drive Screen

To display this screen, click Extend in the Logical Drive box (Figure 7-8) on the ACU Main Configuration screen. This screen allows you to increase the capacity of

a logical drive while the system is online, without disruption of data.

IMPORTANT: Not all operating systems support online capacity extension. See the section

“Extending Logical Drive Capacity” for more information.

Figure 7-14: Extend Logical Drive screen

7-16 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Typical Manual Configuration Procedures in ACU

When you launch ACU to configure a new array, a configuration wizard opens to allow rapid, automatic array configuration. However, you can bypass the wizard and manually:

• Create a new array

• Expand the capacity of an array

• Extend the capacity of a logical drive

• Migrate to a different RAID level or stripe size

Creating a New Array

There are three stages in the procedure for manually creating a new array:

1. Configure the controller settings.

2. Assign physical drives of the same size to an array.

3. Create one or more logical drives on the array.

Configuring an Array

For this example, assume that you have four 4.3-GB drives and two 9.1-GB drives connected to your controller. You want to make two arrays:

• Array A: three 4.3-GB drives with the fourth 4.3-GB drive used as a spare. This

array is to be configured with RAID 5 fault tolerance.

• Array B: two 9.1-GB drives in a RAID 1 fault-tolerance configuration.

Configuring the Controller Settings

1. On the ACU Main Configuration screen, select the controller to be used from

the drop-down list in the Controller Selection box. (Alternatively, click Controller on the menu bar, and then click Select.)

2. Click Controller Settings.

The Controller Settings screen is displayed (Figure 7-9).

3. Select the rebuild priority, expand priority, and accelerator ratio.

4. Click Done to return to the ACU Main Configuration screen.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-17

Configuring an Array

Assigning Physical Drives of the Same Size to an Array

1. Click Create Array in the Controller box.

The Create Drive Array screen is displayed (Figure 7-10).

2. Select the drives that you want to build the array with from the drives that are shown in the left panel.

IMPORTANT: Do not assign a group of physical drives to the same array unless they are of the same capacity. If the drives have different capacities, the excess capacity of the larger drives cannot be used by the array and is wasted.

For this example, select the three drives on Port 1 with SCSI IDs 0, 1, and 2.

3. Click Assign Drive(s) to Array (Figure 7-19) in the middle of the screen.

NOTE: The probability that an array will experience a drive failure increases with the number of drives in the array. Compaq recommends that no more than 14 drives be used per array in RAID 5 configurations.

4. Select the drive at Port 1: SCSI ID 3 and click Assign Spare to Array in the middle of the screen.

NOTE: You can assign the same spare drive to several arrays. In such a case, verify that the capacity of the spare is enough for each array. (Spare drives must have a capacity no less than that of other drives in the same array.)

The Create Drive Array screen now looks like Figure 7-15.

7-18 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Configuring an Array

Figure 7-15: Example Array A with Spare

5. Click Done to return to the ACU Main Configuration screen.

The Logical Configuration View window now looks like Figure 7-16.

Figure 7-16: Logical Configuration View of Example Array

6. Select the controller icon, and then click Create Array to create Array B.

7. Repeat the previous steps to assign both 9.1-GB drives to Array B.

8. Click Done to return to the ACU Main Configuration screen.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-19

Configuring an Array

In this example, each array was created using drives from the same SCSI port. You can get better performance by installing the correct capacity drives in other ports before running the ACU, and then selecting drives from more than one port to build the array.

Creating One or More Logical Drives on the Array

1. Select Array A or Unused Space under Array A in the Logical Configuration View window (Figure 7-16).

2. Click Create Logical Drive in the Array box.

3. On the Create Logical Drive screen (Figure 7-11), select RAID 5.

4. Click Enable Array Accelerator, if it is active.

5. Change the stripe size, if desired (and if possible for your controller model).

6. The default values in the Logical Drive Size box will create a single logical drive

on the array. For this example, accept the default values.

7. Click Done to return to the ACU Main Configuration screen.

8. Save the new settings by clicking Controller on the menu bar and selecting Save

Configuration.

9. Create a logical drive on Array B by selecting Array B or Unused Space under Array B in the Logical Configuration View window and following the previous steps. This time, select RAID 1 as the fault tolerance method. Save the configuration as before.

The ACU Main Configuration screen now looks like Figure 7-17.

7-20 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Figure 7-17: Example array – Logical Configuration View window, two arrays

NOTE: The capacity shown for each logical drive is the free capacity available for data

storage. This value excludes the amount used for fault tolerance.

Expanding Array Capacity

Configuring an Array

Array capacity expansion is the addition of storage capacity to a pre-existing array. The capacity of logical drives on the array does not change, and existing data is not changed.

During capacity expansion, ACU automatically redistributes existing logical drives across all of the physical drives in the expanded array. If the array being expanded has more than one logical drive, data is redistributed one logical drive at a time. Newly created logical drives are not available until capacity expansion has finished.

CAUTION: Do not exchange the controller or array accelerator board during array capacity expansion. Interrupting expansion in this way causes irretrievable data loss.

NOTE: The expansion process takes about 15 minutes per gigabyte. A logical drive is unavailable for any other process while it is undergoing an expansion, and no other logical drive in the system can be expanded, extended, or migrated during this time.

There are three stages in the procedure for expanding an array:

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-21

Configuring an Array

1. Back up all data on the array. Although array expansion is unlikely to cause data loss, observing this precaution will provide additional data protection.

2. Install the new physical drives.

3. Assign the new physical drives to an existing array. When the expansion process is complete, the extra capacity can be used to increase the size of an existing logical drive (see the “Extending Logical Drive Capacity” section) or to create a new logical drive.

For example, consider a controller with these two arrays:

• Array A—three 4.3-GB drives in a RAID 5 configuration, no spare.

• Array B—two 9.1-GB drives in a RAID 1 configuration, no spare.

Now you install a 4.3-GB drive, and want to expand Array A to include this new drive. This scenario is represented in Figure 7-18.

Figure 7-18: Array expansion example

To expand Array A and create a second logical drive on this array:

1. Select Array A in the Logical Configuration View window.

7-22 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Configuring an Array

2. Click Expand in the Array box.

3. In the left-hand panel of the Expand Array A dialog box, select the unassigned

4.3-GB drive.

4. Click Assign Drive to Array in the middle of the screen.

Figure 7-19: Assign Drive to Array button

5. Click Next at the bottom of the screen. The screen shown in Figure 7-20 is

displayed.

Figure 7-20: Expansion Wizard – Create Logical Drives screen

6. Click Create Logical Drive.

7. Set the fault tolerance, stripe size, array accelerator, and size for the second

logical drive that you want to create on Array A.

8. Click Done to return to the Create Logical Drives screen.

9. Click Done again to return to the ACU Main Configuration screen.

10. On the menu bar, select Controller, Save Configuration. The settings for the

second logical drive are saved and the capacity expansion process begins.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-23

Configuring an Array

NOTE: The second logical drive is not accessible until the capacity expansion process on Logical Drive 1 is complete. Also, Logical Drive 1 is unavailable for any other process while it is undergoing an expansion, and no other logical drive in the system can be expanded, extended, or migrated during this time.

Extending Logical Drive Capacity

Logical drive capacity extension is the addition of storage capacity to an existing logical drive. For logical drive extension to be possible, sufficient free capacity must exist on the array. If necessary, create free capacity by deleting existing logical drives on the array or by performing an array expansion (see “Expanding Array Capacity”).

Windows NT 4.0 and NetWare 5.x operating system support online logical drive capacity extension. Some operating systems also support offline capacity extension, which is carried out by backing up all data, reconfiguring the array, and restoring the data. Before extending logical drives, check the operating system documentation for current information, or contact your operating system vendor.

NOTE: The extension process takes about 15 minutes per gigabyte. A logical drive is unavailable for any other process while it is undergoing an extension, and no other logical drive in the system can be expanded, extended, or migrated during this time.

To extend the capacity of a logical drive:

1. Back up all data on the array. Although array expansion is unlikely to cause data loss, observing this precaution will provide additional data protection.

2. Select the logical drive in the Logical Configuration View window.

3. Click Extend in the Logical Drive box.

The Extend Logical Drive screen displays the current capacity and overhead of

the selected logical drive. The unshaded region on the slider scale shows the free capacity on the array that is available for extension.

4. Move the slider control to increase the size of the logical drive.

NOTE: You cannot reduce the size of the logical drive from this screen.

5. Click Done to return to the ACU Main Configuration screen.

7-24 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

6. To save the logical drive settings, click Controller on the menu bar and select

Save Configuration.

A progress bar in the lower right-hand corner of the screen shows the status of

the extension process.

7. Make the extra capacity of the logical drive available to the operating system by

one of the following methods:

— Create a new partition in the logical drive by using the operating system

partitioning software.

— Increase the size of an existing partition by using the operating system

partitioning software or third-party partitioning tools.

Migrating RAID Level or Stripe Size

NOTE: Before migrating the stripe size, check that the available memory on the array

accelerator is no smaller than the lowest common multiple of the total stripe sizes of the two different configurations.

For example, consider the change from an 11-drive RAID 5 logical volume to a 14-drive RAID 1+0 logical volume. If each configuration uses the corresponding default stripe width, the block size changes from 16 kbytes per stripe to 128 kbytes per stripe.

• A full stripe in the RAID 5 configuration contains 160 kbytes (ten of the drives contain user

data; one drive contains parity data).

Configuring an Array

• A full stripe in the RAID 1+0 configuration contains 896 kbytes.

The lowest common multiple of the two stripe sizes is 4480 kbytes, and this figure represents the minimum amount of memory that must be available on the array accelerator.

To migrate to a different RAID level or stripe size:

1. Back up all data on the logical drive. Although migration is unlikely to cause

data loss, observing this precaution provides extra security. The backup data may also be needed if the number of sectors needs to be increased (this fact will be determined in step 8).

2. Verify that the array accelerator batteries (if present) are fully charged.

NOTE: The migration process takes about 15 minutes per gigabyte. A logical drive is unavailable for any other process while it is undergoing migration, and no other logical drive in the system can be expanded, extended, or migrated during this time.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-25

Configuring an Array

3. If your controller has a battery backed write cache, check the Controller Settings screen to confirm that the write cache is enabled.

4. Select the logical drive in the Logical Configuration View window.

5. Click Migrate in the Logical Drive box.

6. Change the RAID level by selecting the appropriate check box.

7. Change the stripe size (Table 7-3 gives the optimum stripe size for specific

situations).

8. Click Done to return to the ACU Main Configuration screen.

If you get a message stating that the number of sectors needs to be increased:

a. Delete the old logical volume.

b. Reconfigure the array as a new logical volume with the new fault-tolerance

method and stripe size that you had selected.

c. Copy the backed-up data (from step 1) onto the new logical volume.

9. To save the new settings, click Controller on the menu bar and select Save

Configuration.

Using CPQONLIN

The NetWare Online Array Configuration Utility (CPQONLIN) lets you configure your drive arrays without shutting down your server. It also indicates when a drive attached to the array controller has failed, is undergoing expansion, or is waiting (queued) for expansion or rebuild.

To install CPQONLIN:

1. Load CPQRAID.HAM from the SmartStart and Support Software CD or the Controller Support Software CD and diskettes. (Detailed instructions are given in the README file on the CD.)

2. Load CPQONLIN.NLM from the same source.

3. Open CPQONLIN.NLM and follow the on-screen instructions.

7-26 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Running CPQONLIN

1. Enter cpqonlin at the console prompt.

2. Use the arrow keys to highlight Array Configuration Utility, and then press the

Enter key.

3. From the list of controllers that is presented, select the one that you want to

configure.

— If no logical drives are configured for the controller, the auto-configuration

wizard screen (see Figure 7-21) is displayed.

— If logical drives are present on the controller, the manual configuration

screen (see Figure 7-22) is displayed.

Press the F1 key for online help at any time on either screen.

Automatic Configuration

Configuring an Array

Figure 7-21: CPQONLIN auto-configuration wizard

1. If the proposed logical configuration shown on the wizard screen is acceptable,

highlight the fault tolerance level that you want for the logical drive and press the Enter key. Otherwise, select Custom Configuration and continue the procedure as described in the “Manual Configuration” section.

2. Press the Esc key to save the changes and return to the controller selection

screen.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-27

Configuring an Array

3. Restart the system to apply the changes.

Manual Configuration

Figure 7-22: Main manual configuration screen

Highlight the controller, array, or logical drive that you want to configure, and then press the Enter key. The menu options for that item are shown in the panel on the right-hand side of the screen. Table 7-4 lists the menu options for each item in the Logical Configuration View panel. If an option is not applicable in any particular case, it is not displayed in the panel.

7-28 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Table 7-4: Menu Options in CPQONLIN

Controller Options Menu

Controller Settings Rebuild Priority

Expand Priority

Accelerator Ratio

Create New Array Create Array

Physical Drives

New Array

Array Options Menu

Configuring an Array

Assign Drive

Assign Array

Remove Drive

Accept Changes

(Panel shows spare drives and unassigned hard drives attached to the controller)

(Panel shows physical view of new array)

Expand Array Expand Array

Physical Drives

New Array

Assign Spare Assign Spare

Physical Drives

New Array

Delete Entire Array

Logical Drive Options Menu

Drive Settings Fault Tolerance

Stripe Size

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-29

Assign Drive

Accept Changes

(Panel shows spare drives and unassigned hard drives attached to the controller)

(Panel shows physical view of new array)

Assign Drive

Accept Changes

(Panel shows spare drives and unassigned hard drives attached to the controller)

(Panel shows physical view of new array)

Configuring an Array

Typical Manual Configuration Procedures in CPQONLIN

This section describes typical manual configuration procedures in more detail.

Creating a Custom Configuration for a New Array

1. In the Logical Configuration View panel, highlight the controller that you want to configure and then press the Enter key.

2. Select Create New Array from the Controller Options menu, and then press the Enter key.

The screen now displays three panels: Create Array, Physical Drives, and New

Array.

3. Select Assign Drive from the Create Array menu, and then press the Enter key.

The highlight automatically moves to the Physical Drives panel.

4. Select a drive and then press the Enter key.

The New Array panel lists the added drive, and the highlight automatically

returns to the Create Array panel.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have finished assigning drives to the array.

NOTE: You can add a spare drive to the array only when all data storage drives have been assigned.

6. Select Accept Changes and press the Enter key.

CPQONLIN returns to the Main Manual Configuration screen.

7-30 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Adding a Spare Drive

To add a spare drive to an array, the array controller must have an attached drive that is either unassigned or is assigned as a spare to another array. You can assign a spare to as many arrays as you want, or you can assign a separate spare to each array. When you select Assign Spare, only drives that qualify will be displayed (for example, drives with too small a capacity will not be listed). If a drive that you expect to see is not listed, press the Tab key to switch to the physical drive view and check the capacity of the drive.

1. In the Logical Configuration View panel, select the array that needs a spare, and

then press the Enter key.

2. Select Assign Spare from the Array Options menu, and then press the Enter

key.

3. Select the drive that you want as the spare, and then press the Enter key.

4. Press the Esc key to accept the new configuration and return to the Main

Manual Configuration screen.

Configuring the New Logical Drive

Configuring an Array

1. In the Logical Configuration View panel, select the new logical drive that you

want to configure, and then press Enter.

2. Select Fault Tolerance in the Logical Drive Options menu, and then press the

Enter key.

3. Select the RAID level that you want, and then press the Enter key.

4. Select Stripe Size and then press the Enter key.

5. Select the stripe size that you want, and then press the Enter key.

6. Press the Esc key to accept the settings, and return to the Main Manual

Configuration screen.

Configuring the Controller Settings

The Controller Settings menu option allows you to choose the drive rebuild priority, expansion priority, and accelerator ratio for all arrays on the controller.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-31

Configuring an Array

• With a low priority setting, a rebuild or expansion takes place only when the array controller is not busy handling normal I/O requests. This setting has minimal effect on normal I/O operations. However, there is an increased risk that data will be lost if another physical drive fails while the rebuild is in progress.

• With a high priority setting, the rebuild or expansion occurs at the expense of normal I/O operations. Although performance is affected, this setting provides better data protection because the array is vulnerable to additional drive failures for a shorter time.

NOTE: Logical drives can be rebuilt only if they are configured for fault tolerance (RAID 1+0, 5, or ADG). Drive rebuild begins automatically after you have replaced a failed physical drive in the array.

The accelerator read/write ratio determines the amount of memory allocated to the read and write caches on the array accelerator. Different applications have different optimum settings. Some controllers (especially those without battery backed write cache) do not allow this ratio to be changed.

1. In the Logical Configuration View panel, select the controller that you want to configure, and then press the Enter key.

2. Select Controller Settings from the Controller Options panel, and then press the Enter key.

The Controller Settings screen is displayed.

Figure 7-23: Controller Settings screen

7-32 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

3. Alter the settings on this screen to suit your needs.

4. Press the Esc key to save the new configuration.

5. Exit CPQONLIN, and then restart the system to apply the changes.

Expanding an Array

Performance may be degraded slightly during array expansion, depending on the Expand Priority setting. To minimize any effect, expand the array during periods of low server use.

NOTE: The expansion process takes about 15 minutes per gigabyte. The controller is not able to expand or migrate any other logical drive during this time. Instead, further requests for expansion or migration are queued.

1. Back up all data on the logical drive. Although array expansion is unlikely to

cause data loss, observing this precaution provides extra security.

2. Verify that the array accelerator batteries (if present) are fully charged.

3. In the Logical Configuration View panel, select the array that you want to

expand and then press the Enter key.

Configuring an Array

4. Select Expand and then press the Enter key.

5. Select the hard drive that you want to add to the array, and then press the Enter

key.

6. Repeat step 5 until you have finished adding drives.

7. Select Accept Changes and then press the Enter key.

8. Press the Esc key to begin the array expansion.

You can see the progress of the expansion at any time by pressing the F3 key and

then scrolling to the progress bar near the bottom of the screen.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 7-33

Configuring an Array

Migrating RAID Level or Stripe Size

Performance may be degraded slightly during migration, depending on the Expand (or Rebuild) Priority setting. To minimize any effect, migrate during periods of low server use.

NOTE: The migration process takes about 15 minutes per gigabyte. The controller is not able to expand or migrate any other logical drive during this time. Instead, further requests for expansion or migration will be queued.

1. Back up all data on the logical drive. Although migration is unlikely to cause data loss, observing this precaution provides extra security.

2. Verify that the array accelerator batteries (if present) are fully charged.

3. In the Logical Configuration View panel, select the logical drive that you want

to migrate, and then press the Enter key.

4. Select Drive Settings and then press the Enter key.

5. Change the RAID level or stripe size shown on this screen.

6. Press the Esc key to accept the changes and begin migration.

You can check the progress of the migration at any time by pressing the F3 key

and then scrolling to the progress bar near the bottom of the screen.

7-34 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Installing the Device Drivers

The drivers for the Smart Array 5i Plus Controller are located on the Smart Array Controller Support Software CD and on the SmartStart and Support Software CD. Updates are posted to the Compaq website,

Using the Smart Array Controller Support Software CD

Instructions for installing the drivers from the Smart Array controller Support Software CD are given in the leaflet provided with the CD. Note that the exact procedure depends on whether the server is new, or already contains the operating system and user data.

Using the SmartStart and Support Software CD

www.compaq.com.

If you are setting up a new server, the Smart Array Controller drivers are installed and configured at the same time that you install the operating system. Refer to the documentation provided with the CD for the operating system installation instructions.

If you are adding the controller to an existing system, you must create Compaq Support Paq diskettes (CSPs) for the operating system that you use. These diskettes contain the operating system software, drivers, and support documentation.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide 8-1

Installing the Device Drivers

To create CSPs:

1. Insert the SmartStart and Support Software CD into the CD-ROM drive tray of a server with a bootable CD-ROM drive. The server does not need to be the one in which you are going to install the controller.

2. Restart the server.

3. On the Compaq System Utilities screen, select Create Support Software.

4. On the Diskette Builder screen, select Create Support Software From CD

Only.

5. Scroll down the list and select the support software for the operating system that you are using.

6. Follow the on-screen instructions to create the diskettes. Depending on your operating system, you will need to use up to six blank diskettes.

Detailed instructions for installing the device drivers are given in the README files on the CSPs.

Updating the Compaq Insight Manager Agents

If you are installing the controller as additional storage, you may now update the Compaq Insight Manager agents if new versions are available. Refer to the documentation that is included with Compaq Insight Manager for the correct procedure to update the agents.

You can obtain the Compaq Insight Manager Agents from your local Compaq reseller or Compaq authorized service provider. The latest versions of Compaq Insight Manager and Management Agents are also available for download at

www.compaq.com/manage.

If the new agents do not function correctly, you may also need to update Compaq Insight Manager.

8-2 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Regulatory Compliance Notices

Regulatory Compliance Identification Numbers

For the purpose of regulatory compliance certifications and identification, your product has been assigned a unique Compaq series number. The series number can be found on the product nameplate label, along with all required approval markings and information. When requesting compliance information for this product, always refer to this series number. The series number should not be confused with the marketing name or model number of the product.

Federal Communications Commission Notice

Part 15 of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Rules and Regulations has established Radio Frequency (RF) emission limits to provide an interference-free radio frequency spectrum. Many electronic devices, including computers, generate RF energy incidental to their intended function and are, therefore, covered by these rules. These rules place computers and related peripheral devices into two classes, A and B, depending upon their intended installation. Class A devices are those that may reasonably be expected to be installed in a business or commercial environment. Class B devices are those that may reasonably be expected to be installed in a residential environment (for example, personal computers). The FCC requires devices in both classes to bear a label indicating the interference potential of the device as well as additional operating instructions for the user.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide A-1

Regulatory Compliance Notices

The rating label on the device shows the classification (A or B) of the equipment. Class B devices have an FCC logo or FCC ID on the label. Class A devices do not have an FCC logo or FCC ID on the label. After the Class of the device is determined, refer to the corresponding statement in the following sections.

Class A Equipment

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference, in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at personal expense.

Class B Equipment

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit that is different from that to

which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio or television technician for help.

A-2 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Regulatory Compliance Notices

Declaration of Conformity for Products Marked with the FCC Logo, United States Only

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

For questions regarding your product, contact us by mail or telephone:

• Compaq Computer Corporation

P. O. Box 692000, Mail Stop 530113 Houston, Texas 77269-2000

• 1-800-652-6672 (1-800-OK COMPAQ) (For continuous quality improvement,

calls may be recorded or monitored.)

For questions regarding this FCC declaration, contact us by mail or telephone:

• Compaq Computer Corporation

P. O. Box 692000, Mail Stop 510101 Houston, Texas 77269-2000

• 1-281-514-3333

To identify this product, refer to the part, series, or model number found on the product.

Modifications

The FCC requires the user to be notified that any changes or modifications made to this device that are not expressly approved by Compaq Computer Corporation may void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide A-3

Regulatory Compliance Notices

Cables

Connections to this device must be made with shielded cables with metallic RFI/EMI connector hoods in order to maintain compliance with FCC Rules and Regulations.

Canadian Notice (Avis Canadien)

Class A Equipment

This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations

Cet appareil numérique de la classe A respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.

Class B Equipment

This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.

Mouse Compliance Statement

A-4 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

European Union Notice

Products with the CE Marking comply with both the EMC Directive (89/336/EEC) and the Low Voltage Directive (73/23/EEC) issued by the Commission of the European Community.

Compliance with these directives implies conformity to the following European Norms (the equivalent international standards are in parenthesis):

• EN55022 (CISPR 22) – Electromagnetic Interference

• EN55024 (IEC61000-4-2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11) – Electromagnetic Immunity

• EN61000-3-2 (IEC61000-3-2) – Power Line Harmonics

• EN61000-3-3 (IEC61000-3-3) – Power Line Flicker

• EN60950 (IEC950) – Product Safety

Regulatory Compliance Notices

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide A-5

Regulatory Compliance Notices

Japanese Notice

Taiwanese Notice

A-6 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Laser Device

All Compaq systems equipped with a laser device comply with safety standards, including International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 825. With specific regard to the laser, the equipment complies with laser product performance standards set by government agencies as a Class 1 laser product. The product does not emit hazardous light; the beam is totally enclosed during all modes of customer operation and maintenance.

Laser Safety Warnings

WARNING: To reduce the risk of exposure to hazardous radiation:

• Do not try to open the laser device enclosure. There are no user-serviceable

components inside.

• Do not operate controls, make adjustments, or perform procedures to the laser

device other than those specified herein.

• Allow only Compaq authorized service technicians to repair the laser device.

Regulatory Compliance Notices

Compliance with CDRH Regulations

The Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration implemented regulations for laser products on August 2, 1976. These regulations apply to laser products manufactured from August 1, 1976. Compliance is mandatory for products marketed in the United States.

Compliance with International Regulations

All Compaq systems equipped with laser devices comply with appropriate safety standards including IEC 825.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide A-7

Regulatory Compliance Notices

Laser Product Label

The following label or equivalent is located on the surface of the Compaq supplied laser device.

Laser Information

Table A-1: Laser Information

Feature Description

Laser type Semiconductor GaAIAs

Wave length 780 nm +/- 35 nm

This label indicates that the product is classified as a

CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT. This label appears on a laser device installed in your product.

Divergence angle 53.5 degrees +/- 0.5 degrees

Output power Less than 0.2 mW or 10,869 W m-2 sr-1

Polarization Circular 0.25

Numerical

aperture

A-8 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

0.45 inches +/- 0.04 inches

Battery Replacement Notice

Your Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler is equipped with a lithium manganese dioxide, vanadium pentoxide, or alkaline internal battery or battery pack. There is a danger of explosion and risk of personal injury if the battery is incorrectly replaced or mistreated. Replacement is to be done by a Compaq authorized service provider using the Compaq spare designated for this product. For more information about battery replacement or proper disposal, contact your Compaq authorized reseller or your authorized service provider.

WARNING: Your computer contains an internal lithium manganese dioxide, vanadium pentoxide, or alkaline battery pack. There is risk of fire and burns if the battery pack is not properly handled. To reduce the risk of personal injury:

• Do not attempt to recharge the battery.

• Do not expose to temperatures higher than 60°C.

• Do not disassemble, crush, puncture, short external contacts, or dispose of

in fire or water.

• Replace only with the Compaq spare designated for this product.

Regulatory Compliance Notices

Batteries, battery packs, and accumulators should not be disposed of together with the general household waste. To forward them to recycling or proper disposal, please use the public collection system or return them to Compaq, your authorized Compaq Partners, or their agents.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide A-9

Electrostatic Discharge

To prevent damaging the system, be aware of the precautions you need to follow when setting up the system or handling parts. A discharge of static electricity from a finger or other conductor may damage system boards or other static-sensitive devices. This type of damage may reduce the life expectancy of the device.

To prevent electrostatic damage, observe the following precautions:

• Avoid hand contact by transporting and storing products in static-safe containers.

• Keep electrostatic-sensitive parts in their containers until they arrive at static-free

workstations.

• Place parts on a grounded surface before removing them from their containers.

• Avoid touching pins, leads, or circuitry.

• Always be properly grounded when touching a static-sensitive component or

assembly.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide B-1

Electrostatic Discharge

Grounding Methods

There are several methods for grounding. Use one or more of the following methods when handling or installing electrostatic-sensitive parts:

• Use a wrist strap connected by a ground cord to a grounded workstation or computer chassis. Wrist straps are flexible straps with a minimum of 1 megohm

± 10 percent resistance in the ground cords. To provide proper ground, wear the strap snug against the skin.

• Use heel straps, toe straps, or boot straps at standing workstations. Wear the straps on both feet when standing on conductive floors or dissipating floor mats.

• Use conductive field service tools.

• Use a portable field service kit with a folding static-dissipating work mat.

If you do not have any of the suggested equipment for proper grounding, have a Compaq authorized reseller install the part.

NOTE: For more information on static electricity, or assistance with product installation, contact your Compaq authorized reseller.

B-2 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Drive Arrays and Fault Tolerance

What Is a Drive Array?

The capacity and performance of a single physical (hard) drive is adequate for home users. However, business users demand higher storage capacities, higher data transfer rates, and greater protection against data loss when drives fail.

Merely adding extra physical drives to the system increases the total storage capacity (see Figure C-1). However, this addition does not affect the efficiency of read/write (R/W) operations, since data can still be transferred to only one physical drive at a time.

R/W

P1 P2 P3

Figure C-1: Physical drives added to system

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide C-1

Drive Arrays and Fault Tolerance

With an array controller installed in the system, the capacity of several physical drives can be combined into one or more virtual units called logical drives (also called logical volumes). Then, the read/write heads of all the constituent physical drives are active simultaneously, reducing the total time required for data transfer.

P1 P2 P3

Figure C-2: Physical drives configured into a logical drive (L1)

Because the read/write heads are active simultaneously, the same amount of data is written to each drive during any given time interval. Each unit of data is called a

block, and over all the physical drives in a logical drive the blocks form a set of data stripes (see Figure C-3).

C-2 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Drive Arrays and Fault Tolerance

B11B10 B12

Figure C-3: Data striping (S1-S4) of data blocks B1-B12

For data in the logical drive to be readable, the data block sequence must be the same in every stripe. This sequencing process is performed by the array controller, which sends the data blocks to the drive write heads in the correct order.

A natural consequence of the striping process is that each physical drive in a given logical drive will contain the same amount of data. If one physical drive has a larger capacity than other physical drives in the same logical drive, the extra capacity is wasted because it cannot be used by the logical drive.

The group of physical drives containing the logical drive is called a drive array, or simply array. Since all the physical drives in an array are commonly configured into just one logical drive, the term array is also often used as a synonym for logical drive. However, an array can contain several logical drives, each of a different size (see Figure C-4).

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide C-3

Drive Arrays and Fault Tolerance

Figure C-4: Two arrays (A1, A2) containing five logical drives spread over five physical drives

Each logical drive in an array is distributed over all of the physical drives within the array. A logical drive can also extend over more than one port on the same controller, but it cannot extend over more than one controller.

Drive failure, although rare, is potentially catastrophic. In Figure C-4, for example, failure of any physical drive causes all logical drives in the same array to fail, and all data on the drives is lost.

To protect against data loss due to physical drive failure, logical drives are configured with fault tolerance. There are several fault-tolerance methods; those supported by current Compaq controllers (and described in the “Fault Tolerance Methods” section) are:

• RAID 0—Data Striping only (no fault tolerance)

• RAID 1+0—Drive Mirroring

• RAID 5—Distributed Data Guarding

C-4 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

For any configuration except RAID 0, further protection against data loss can be achieved by assigning a drive as an online spare (or hot spare). This drive contains no data and is connected to the same controller as the array. When any other physical drive in the array fails, the controller automatically rebuilds information that was originally on the failed drive onto the online spare. The system is quickly restored to full RAID-level data protection. (However, in the unlikely event that another drive in the array fails while data is being rewritten to the spare, the logical drive will still fail.)

When you configure an online spare, it is automatically assigned to all logical drives in the same array. Additionally, you do not need to assign a separate online spare to each array; you can configure one hard drive to be the online spare for several arrays, as long as the arrays are all on the same controller.

Fault-Tolerance Methods

RAID 0—No Fault Tolerance

This configuration (see Figure C-3) provides no protection against data loss when a drive fails. However, it is useful for rapid storage of large amounts of non-critical data (for printing or image editing, for example), or when cost is the most important consideration.

Drive Arrays and Fault Tolerance

Advantages

The advantages of RAID 0 are that:

• It is the highest performance method for writes.

• It has the lowest cost per unit of data stored.

• All drive capacity is used to store data (none needed for fault tolerance).

Disadvantages

The disadvantages of RAID 0 are that:

• All data on the logical drive is lost if a physical drive fails.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide C-5

Drive Arrays and Fault Tolerance

• You cannot use an online spare.

• You can only preserve data by backing it up to external drives.

RAID 1+0—Drive Mirroring

In this configuration, data is duplicated onto a second drive.

P1 P2

Figure C-5: Drive mirroring of P1 onto P2

When the array has more than two physical drives, drives are mirrored in pairs.

C-6 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Drive Arrays and Fault Tolerance

Figure C-6: Mirroring with more than two physical drives in the array

In each mirrored pair, the physical drive that is not busy answering other requests answers any read request sent to the array. (This behavior is called load balancing.) If a physical drive fails, the remaining drive in the mirrored pair can still provide all the necessary data. Several drives in the array can fail without incurring data loss, as long as no two failed drives belong to the same mirrored pair.

This fault-tolerance method is useful when high performance and data protection are more important than the cost of physical drives.

NOTE: When there are only two physical drives in the array, this fault-tolerance method is often referred to as RAID 1.

Advantages

The advantages of RAID 1+0 are that:

• It has the highest read and write performance of any fault-tolerant configuration.

• No loss of data occurs as long as none of the failed drives are mirrored to another

failed drive (up to half of the physical drives in the array can fail).

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide C-7

Drive Arrays and Fault Tolerance

Disadvantages

The disadvantages of RAID 1+0 are that:

• It is expensive (many drives are needed for fault tolerance).

• Only 50% of total drive capacity useable for data storage.

RAID 5—Distributed Data Guarding

By this method, a block of parity data is calculated for each stripe from the data that is in all other blocks within that stripe. The blocks of parity data are distributed over every physical drive within the logical drive (see Figure C-7). When a physical drive fails, data that was on the failed drive can be calculated from the user data on the remaining drives and the parity data. This recovered data is usually written to an online spare in a process called a rebuild.

This configuration is useful when cost, performance, and data availability are equally important.

P5,6

P3,4

P1,2

P7,8

Figure C-7: Distributed data guarding, showing parity information (Px,y)

C-8 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Advantages

The advantages of RAID 5 are that:

• It has a high read performance.

• No loss of data occurs if one physical drive fails.

• More drive capacity is usable than with RAID 1+0 (parity information requires

only the storage space equivalent to one physical drive).

Disadvantages

The disadvantages of RAID 5 are that:

• It has a relatively low write performance.

• Loss of data occurs if a second drive fails before data from the first failed drive is

rebuilt.

Table C-1 summarizes the important features of the different kinds of RAID described. The decision chart in Table C-2 may help you to determine which option is best for your situation.

Drive Arrays and Fault Tolerance

Table C-1: Summary of RAID Methods

RAID 0 RAID 1+0 RAID 5

Alternative name

Usable drive space*

Usable drive space formula

Minimum number of physical drives

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide C-9

Striping (no fault tolerance)

100% 50% 67% to 93%

n n/2 (n-1)/n

123

Mirroring Distributed Data

Guarding

continued

Drive Arrays and Fault Tolerance

Table C-1: Summary of RAID Methods continued

RAID 0 RAID 1+0 RAID 5

Tolerates failure

No Yes Yes of one physical drive?

Tolerates simultaneous failure of >one physical drive?

Read

No Only if no two

No failed drives are in a mirrored pair

High High High

performance

Write

High Medium Low

performance

Relative cost Low High Medium

*Values for usable drive space are calculated with these assumptions:

• All physical drives in the array have the same capacity.

• Online spares are not used.

• No more than 14 physical drives are used for RAID 5. (This number is

recommended so that the risk of logical drive failure is kept low. See Appendix D for further information.)

Table C-2: Choosing a RAID Method

Most Important Also Important

Suggested RAID Level

I/O performance RAID 1+0

Cost effectiveness

I/O performance

RAID 5 (RAID 0 if fault tolerance is not required)

I/O performance

Cost effectiveness

RAID 5 (RAID 0 if fault tolerance is not required)

Fault tolerance RAID 1+0

C-10 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide

Other Fault-Tolerance Options

Your operating system may also support software-based RAID or controller duplexing.

• Software-based RAID resembles hardware-based RAID, except that the

operating system works with logical drives as if they were physical drives. To protect against data loss caused by physical drive failure, each logical drive must be in a different array from the others.

• Controller Duplexing uses two identical controllers with independent, identical

sets of drives containing identical data. In the unlikely event of a controller failure, the remaining controller and drives will service all requests.

However, the hardware-based RAID methods described in this appendix provide a much more robust and controlled fault-tolerant environment. Additionally, controller duplexing and software-based RAID do not support online spares, auto-reliability monitoring, interim data recovery, or automatic data recovery.

If you decide to use one of these alternative fault-tolerance options, configure your arrays with RAID 0 for maximum storage capacity and refer to your operating system documentation for further implementation details.

Drive Arrays and Fault Tolerance

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler User Guide C-11

Hard Drive Installation and Replacement

Each SCSI channel on a Smart Array controller supports up to 14 drives. Drives can be of the Wide Ultra3 SCSI or Wide Ultra2 SCSI type.

Each drive on a SCSI bus must have a unique ID value in the range 0 to 15 (except ID 7, which is reserved for controller use). This value is set automatically on hotpluggable drives in Compaq ProLiant other drives must be set manually.

• Do not terminate the drives. Compaq servers and internal cabling provide the

required termination of the SCSI bus.

• Do not use drives of different capacity in the same array. The excess capacity of

larger drives cannot be used by the array and is wasted.

• Do not combine hot-pluggable drives with non-hot-pluggable drives on the same

SCSI bus.

Hard drives that are currently supported by the Smart Array Controller are listed at

www.compaq.com/products/storageworks/.

servers and storage systems, but values for

General Information About Hard Drive Failure

When a hard drive fails, all logical drives that are in the same array will be affected. Each logical drive in an array may be using a different fault-tolerance method, so each logical drive can be affected differently.

• RAID 0 configurations cannot tolerate drive failure. If any physical drive in the array fails, all non-fault-tolerant (RAID 0) logical drives in the same array will also fail.

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Hard Drive Installation and Replacement

• RAID 1+0 configurations can tolerate multiple drive failures as long as no failed drives are mirrored to one another.

• RAID 5 configurations can tolerate one drive failure.

• RAID ADG configurations can tolerate simultaneous failure of two drives.

If more hard drives fail than the fault-tolerance method allows, fault tolerance is compromised and the logical drive fails. In this case, all requests from the operating system will be rejected with unrecoverable errors. The “Compromised Fault Tolerance” section discusses possible ways to recover from this situation.

Recognizing Drive Failure

The LEDs on the front of each hard drive are visible through the front of the server or external storage unit. When a drive is configured as a part of an array and attached to a powered-on controller, the status of the drive can be determined from the illumination pattern of these LEDs. Table D-1 describes the meaning of the various LED combinations.

Figure D-1: Hard drive status LED indicators

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Hard Drive Installation and Replacement

Table D-1: Interpreting Hard Drive Status from LED Indicator Pattern

(1) Activity (2) Online (3) Fault Meaning

On, off, or

On or off Flashing

flashing

Off, on, or

On Off OK to replace the drive online if the array is configured

flashing

On Flashing Off

On Off Off

A predictive failure alert has been received for this drive. Replace the drive as soon as possible.

for fault tolerance and all other drives in the array are online.

The drive is online and configured as part of an array.

Do not remove the drive. Removing a drive during this process may terminate the current operation and cause data loss.

The drive is rebuilding or undergoing capacity expansion.

Do not remove the drive. Removing a drive during this process may cause data loss.

The drive is being accessed, but (1) it is not configured as part of an array, (2) it is a replacement drive and rebuild has not yet started, or (3) it is spinning up during POST

continued

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache User Guide D-3

Hard Drive Installation and Replacement

Table D-1: Interpreting Hard Drive Status from LED Indicator Pattern continued

Flashing Flashing Flashing

Off Off On OK to replace the drive online.

Off Off Off OK to replace the drive online if the array is configured

Do not remove the drive. Removing a drive during this process can cause data loss in non-faulttolerant configurations.

Either (1) the drive is part of an array being selected by the Array Configuration Utility, (2) the Options ROMPaq utility is upgrading the drive firmware, or (3) Drive Identification has been selected in Compaq Insight Manager.

The drive has failed and has been placed offline.

for fault tolerance and all other drives in the array are online.

Either (1) the drive is not configured as part of an array, (2) the drive is configured as part of an array, but a powered-on controller is not accessing the drive, or (3) the drive is configured as an online spare.

There are several other ways to recognize that a hard drive has failed:

• The amber LED lights up on the front of a Compaq storage system if failed drives are inside. (Other problems such as fan failure, redundant power supply failure, or over-temperature conditions will also cause this LED to light up.)

• A Power-On Self-Test (POST) message lists failed drives whenever the system is restarted, as long as the controller detects one or more good drives. See Appendix G for an explanation of POST messages.

• The Array Diagnostic Utility (ADU) lists all failed drives.

• Compaq Insight Manager can detect failed drives remotely across a network.

Additional information about hard drive problems can be found in the Compaq Servers Troubleshooting Guide.

D-4 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache User Guide

Compromised Fault Tolerance

Compromised fault tolerance commonly occurs when more physical drives have failed than the fault-tolerance method can endure. In this case, the logical volume is failed and unrecoverable disk error messages are returned to the host. Data loss is likely to occur.

An example of this situation is where one drive on an array fails while another drive in the same array is still being rebuilt. If the array has no online spare, any logical drives on the array that are configured with RAID 5 fault tolerance will fail.

Compromised fault tolerance may also be caused by non-drive problems, such as temporary power loss to a storage system or a faulty cable. In such cases, the physical drives do not need to be replaced. However, data may still have been lost, especially if the system was busy at the time that the problem occurred.

Procedure to Attempt Recovery

When fault tolerance has been compromised, inserting replacement drives does not improve the condition of the logical volume. Instead, if your screen displays unrecoverable disk error messages, try the following procedure to recover data.

Hard Drive Installation and Replacement

1. Turn the entire system off and then back on. In some cases, a marginal drive will

work again for long enough to allow you to make copies of important files.

2. If a 1779 POST message is displayed, press the F2 key to re-enable the logical

volumes. Remember that data loss has probably occurred and any data on the logical volume is suspect.

3. Make copies of important data, if possible.

4. Replace any failed drives.

5. After the failed drives have been replaced, the fault tolerance may again be

compromised. If so, cycle the power again. If the 1779 POST message is displayed, press the F2 key to re-enable the logical drives, recreate your partitions, and restore all data from backup.

To minimize the risk of data loss due to compromised fault tolerance, make frequent backups of all logical volumes.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache User Guide D-5

Hard Drive Installation and Replacement

Automatic Data Recovery

Automatic Data Recovery is an automatic background process that rebuilds data onto a spare or replacement drive when another drive in the array fails. This process is also called rebuild.

If a drive in a fault-tolerant configuration is replaced while the system power is off, a Power-On Self-Test (POST) message is displayed during the next system startup. This message prompts you to press the F1 key to start Automatic Data Recovery. If Automatic Data Recovery is not enabled, the logical volume remains in a ready-torecover condition and the same POST message is displayed whenever the system is restarted.

When Automatic Data Recovery has finished, the Online LED of the replacement drive stops blinking and begins to glow steadily.

In general, approximately 15 minutes is required to rebuild each gigabyte. The actual rebuild time depends upon:

• The level of rebuild priority that has been set for the logical drive

• The amount of I/O activity occurring during the rebuild operation

• The disk drive speed

• The number of drives in the array (for RAID 5)

For example, the rebuild time when using 9-GB Wide-Ultra hard drives in a RAID 5 configuration varies from 10 minutes per gigabyte (for 3 drives) to 20 minutes per gigabyte (for 14 drives).

Failure of Automatic Data Recovery

If the Online LED of the replacement drive stops blinking during Automatic Data Recovery, there are three possible causes:

• If the Online LED is glowing continuously, Automatic Data Recovery was successful and has finished.

D-6 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache User Guide

Hard Drive Installation and Replacement

• If the amber failure LED is illuminated or other LEDs go out, the replacement

drive has failed and is producing unrecoverable disk errors.

Remove and replace the failed replacement drive.

• If the Automatic Data Recovery process has abnormally terminated, one possible

cause is a non-correctable read error on another physical drive. The system may temporarily become operational if rebooted. In any case, locate the faulty drive, replace it, and restore data from backup.

General Aspects of Drive Replacement

Before replacing a degraded drive, use Compaq Insight Manager to examine the error counters recorded for each physical drive in the array to verify that such errors are not presently occurring. Refer to the Compaq Insight Manager documentation on the Compaq Management CD for details.

CAUTION: Sometimes, a drive that has previously been failed by the controller may seem to be operational after the system is power-cycled, or (for a hot-pluggable drive) after the drive has been removed and reinserted. However, continued use of such marginal drives may eventually result in data loss. Replace the marginal drive as soon as possible.

There are several other factors to remember when replacing a hard drive:

• Non-hot-pluggable drives should only be replaced while the system is powered

down.

• Hot-pluggable drives can be removed and replaced at any time, whether the host

or storage system power is on or off.

When a hot-pluggable drive is inserted, all disk activity on the array pauses while

the new drive is spinning up (usually 20 seconds or so). If the drive is inserted while power is on, in a fault-tolerant configuration, data recovery onto the replacement drive begins automatically (indicated by the blinking Online LED).

• Replacement drives must have a capacity no less than that of the smallest drive in

the array. Drives of insufficient capacity will be failed immediately by the controller before Automatic Data Recovery can begin.

Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache User Guide D-7

Hard Drive Installation and Replacement

• When you set the SCSI ID jumpers manually, check the ID value to be sure that the correct physical drive is being replaced. Set the same ID value on the replacement drive to prevent SCSI ID conflicts.

CAUTION: In systems using external data storage, take care that the server is the first unit to be powered down and the last to be powered back up. Doing this ensures that the system will not erroneously mark the drives as failed.

The rebuild operation takes several hours, even if the system is not busy while the rebuild is in progress. System performance and fault tolerance are both affected until the rebuild has finished. Therefore, replace drives during low activity periods whenever possible. In addition, be sure that all logical volumes on the same array as the drive being replaced have a current, valid backup.

Drive Failure During Rebuild

If another drive in the array fails while fault tolerance is unavailable during rebuild, a fatal system error may occur. If this happens, all data on the array is lost. In exceptional cases, however, failure of another drive need not lead to a fatal system error. These exceptions include:

• Failure after activation of a spare drive

• Failure of a drive that is not mirrored to any other failed drives (in a RAID 1+0

configuration)

• Failure of a second drive in a RAID ADG configuration

Minimizing Fatal System Errors During Rebuild

When a hard drive is replaced, the controller gathers fault-tolerance data from the remaining drives in the array. This data is then used to rebuild the missing data (originally on the failed drive) onto the replacement drive. If more than one drive is removed at a time, the fault-tolerance data is incomplete. The missing data cannot then be reconstructed and is likely to be permanently lost.

D-8 Compaq Smart Array 5i Plus Controller and Battery Backed Write Cache User Guide

Compaq 226593-B21 - Smart Array 5i RAID Controller, DL360 - ProLiant - Photon, Smart Array 5i Plus User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Important Safety Information

Symbols on Equipment

About This Guide

Symbols in Text

Text Conventions

Related Documents

Getting Help

Compaq Technical Support

Compaq Website

Compaq Authorized Reseller

Reader’s Comments

Overview of Controller Features

Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler

Memory

Controller Interface

SCSI Support

Drive Array Technology

Fault Management Features

Running System ROMPaq from the CD

Running System ROMPaq from Diskette

Creating a System ROMPaq Diskette from the CD

Creating a System ROMPaq Diskette from the SoftPaq File

Using the Diskette

Running Options ROMPaq from the Smart Array Controller Support Software CD

Running Options ROMPaq from Diskettes

Creating Diskettes Using the Smart Array Controller Support Software CD

Creating Diskettes Using the SmartStart and Support Software CD

Creating Diskettes Using the SoftPaq File

Using the Diskettes

Updating the System Partition

Using RBSU

Using ORCA

Using ORCA

Using ACU

Running ACU from CD

Running ACU while Online

ACU Screen Descriptions

Main Configuration Screen

Secondary Screens

Typical Manual Configuration Procedures in ACU

Creating a New Array

Expanding Array Capacity

Extending Logical Drive Capacity

Migrating RAID Level or Stripe Size

Using CPQONLIN

Running CPQONLIN

Automatic Configuration

Manual Configuration

Typical Manual Configuration Procedures in CPQONLIN

Creating a Custom Configuration for a New Array

Adding a Spare Drive

Configuring the New Logical Drive

Configuring the Controller Settings

Expanding an Array

Migrating RAID Level or Stripe Size

Using the Smart Array Controller Support Software CD

Using the SmartStart and Support Software CD

Updating the Compaq Insight Manager Agents

Regulatory Compliance Identification Numbers

Federal Communications Commission Notice

Class A Equipment

Class B Equipment

Declaration of Conformity for Products Marked with the FCC Logo, United States Only

Modifications

Cables

Canadian Notice (Avis Canadien)

Class A Equipment

Class B Equipment

Mouse Compliance Statement

European Union Notice

Japanese Notice

Taiwanese Notice

Laser Device

Laser Safety Warnings

Compliance with CDRH Regulations